Lance O’Sullivan suspended

Press, 29 July 1986, Page 33

Lance O’Sullivan suspended

PA Hamilton The leading jockey, Lance O’Sullivan was suspended for two riding days for careless riding by the Waikato Racing Club judicial committee at Te Rapa on Saturday. O’Sullivan, riding the winner Resume in the Cable Price Toyota Handicap, was charged with interfering with the second-placed horse, Petersburg in the final 200 m of the race. But on hearing all relevant evidence and viewing video tapes of the incident, the committee, while reserving the right to charge O’Sullivan, who had pleaded guilty, determined that although interference did occur it was not sufficient to prevent Petersburg from obtaining a better placing. After hearing submissions regarding the ground conditions, and hearing from the stipendiary steward, O’Sullivan

was suspended up to and , including August 2. Consequently O’Sullivan, who already has a record tally of 143 wins, will not have the opportunity to further the number of winning rides for this season.

Vicki Cropp, who rode High Impact, which won the Roger Browne Memorial Handicap, was fined $75 for careless riding in that she allowed her mount to take the line of Compile (N. Meier) near the 800 m mark when insufficiently clear.

This led to a chain reaction of events which saw I’m Beau (J. Hunter) and Count Your Silver (R. Dee) suffering severe interference.

Royal Conclusion (Michael Douglas) struck the second to last hurdle in the Winter Hurdles, slipped behind and almost dislodged his rider. The winner, Rocking Chair, struck the last fence hard, losing a little momentum.